Brunswick Rail receives first batch of new-generation railcars

1 November 2011

Brunswick Rail signed the contract with Promtraktor-Vagon in July 2011. According to the agreement, Brunswick Rail will receive 70 four-axle 12-1304 gondolas with Motion Control System bogies developed by Amsted Rail. Brunswick Rail expects to receive the remaining railcars in the fourth quarter of 2011.

TalTEK Trans will be the first client to lease the new-generation railcars. By the end of 2011, the railcars will be used to transport quartzite, coal and ore on the West-Siberian railroad, a 922km route (round trip), and will eventually cover longer-distance routes.

Brunswick Rail Deputy CEO and Director of Business Development, Vladimir Khoroshilov, said: “Bringing new-generation railcars to the Russian market is an extremely important and timely step for us. Among the main challenges facing the rail industry today is a deficit of railcars as well as bottlenecks in parts of the rail network. These challenges can only be dealt with by introducing new technology. New-generation railcars can play a valuable role here, which is why we are working actively to bring more of these cars to the Russian market. Offering our clients cutting-edge technology is key to meeting the evolving demands of the market.”

Executive Director of Promtraktor-Vagon (part of Tractor Plants Group), Aleksander Ten, added: “Our Company and our partners understand that demand for new solutions in the Russian rail market is increasing. That is why Tractor Plants Group has focused on creating and producing new, innovative solutions for rolling stock. As a result, even through the economic crisis, we have been able to maintain a significant share of the domestic market. Today we are the leading Russian producer of new-generation freight railcars, which are more efficient and do not cause significant damage to the rail infrastructure.”

Marcus Montenecourt, Managing Director for Amsted Rail in Russia and the CIS, added: “Our company has extensive experience in the railway market. The quality of our products has been proven by decades of operation in North America and other major railway systems of the world. We are delighted that our knowledge and technology in the freight car building segment enable our clients to meet their complex needs efficiently and on schedule”.

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Sergey Moiseev, General Director of TalTEK Trans, said: “The new-generation railcars have a number of positive attributes: their operational costs are lower and the volume capacity of freight deliveries is greater. We are proud to be one of the first companies in Russia that will take advantage of this.”

New-generation railcars using Amsted Rail’s innovative bogies have improved performance characteristics. The overhaul mileage of these railcars is much higher than for traditional bogies—500 thousand km vs. 200 thousand km. In addition, Amsted Rail’s bogie is designed for a high axle load of up to 25 tons, while its impact on the tracks is no greater than a traditional bogie. The increased volume of the body and its capacity to carry 75 tons allows for larger cargo volumes, with much lower repair costs compared with most other models currently used in Russia and the CIS.

During the year as part of RZhD’s “Controlled Operation” programme, the gondolas will be subject to a series of rigorous examinations and tests by a commission consisting of representatives from RZhD, Brunswick Rail, Promtraktor-Vagon, Amsted Rail, VNIIZhT and other suppliers. The tests are expected to demonstrate improved operational and service characteristics of these new-generation gondolas and to result in the start of commercial production of these gondolas in Russia.

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